Monthly Archives: February 2013

Between my being sick and then Sean being sick, I haven’t had much time to do any real meals during the week, let alone doing any blogging about the meals. Since we are all finally starting to feel better around here, I though today would be a good day to try and get things back to normal around here and cook some good meals. I have had some flounder in the freezer and was looking for something to do with it when I came across this recipe in America’s Test Kitchen’s cookbook “Quick Family Cookbook.” I like this cookbook because it gives me some good meal options that can all be made in under 45 minutes, which make thhem great for any weeknight meal when you may not have a lot of time or energy to put into your meal but still want something made at home. This is a simple fried fish with Southwestern corn, though to be honest I eliminated a lot of the heat from this meal since Sean and Michelle both don’t really care for spicy food. Nonetheless, it’s a good recipe that you can play around with and use a variety of fish with if you have some on hand.

Cornmeal Fried Fish and Southwestern Corn

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces chorizo sausage, chopped

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine

1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper

4 cups frozen corn

2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 (12 ounce) skinless flounder fillets, cut in half lengthwise

1 cup vegetable oil

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, jalapeno, shallot, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until the bell pepper begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and cover.

Meanwhile, mix the flour and cornmeal together in a shallow dish. Pat the flounder dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper., then dredge the fish in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently so it adheres to the fish.

Wipe out the now-empty skillet with paper towel, add the vegetable oil and return to medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Lay the fillets in the skillet and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a paper towel-lined plate. Let the fish drain briefly, then serve with the corn.

You could really use any fish fillets you like for this meal – catfish, sole, tilapia, trout, snapper – you name it. Ialso added some other colored peppers to the corn to make the meal look a little more festive since I wasn’t using the chorizo or the jalapeno. You could serve this white rice or brown rice and you would have quite a nice meal.

A nice simple meal that is great for any dinner. We are getting back to the meal plan this week after I go shopping tomorrow. We have gotten away from it lately and haven’t been planning things out and I feel we actually eat better from a health standpoint when everything is planned out for the week, so we are going to try and get back to it and try to get back to one meatless meal for the week, one fish meal, one stir fry, one chicken and one lean meat. I’ll have to see how things go at the market tomorrow to see what I can pick up and go with it, so check back tomorrow and see what we have for the week. until then, have a great day and enjoy your meal!

Bananas Foster is my absolute, all-time favorite dessert. I have tried a few different recipes over time, but Food Republic has this recipe from Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, the home of Bananas Foster. Give it a try and you will want to have it this way all the time!

I love my coffee but like everyone else I try to limit the amount I have each day so it doesn’t get to me. I have been using a Keurig for several years now and have some mixed opinions on it as they don’t seem to hold up very well even though mine only gets used once or twice a day. Anyway, here are some inexpensive manual coffee maker alternatives for those who like a a deeper, richer flavor to their coffee. America’s Test Kitchen tested and rated these. I may just have to check one out myself and see how well it actually works. Let me know if you have these or any others that you think work well.

Okay, this is my last pre-Valentine’s Day posting, so it’s your last chance to find some recipes for your meal tomorrow night. Bon Appetit offers up 9 different menus to cover everyone’s tastes and desires. Check it out and see if you find something you like!

Still need some menu ideas for Valentine’s Day? These quick and easy recipes from America’s Test Kitchen can help you out without you having to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. They are all pretty simple yet elegant recipes that can be made in under 45 minutes. They come from their cookbook “America’s Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook,” which I have and use for some great weeknight meals without any fuss. Check it out and enjoy your day with your sweetie!

This is an interesting article in the New York Times today regarding these home delivery services that allow you to get an entire meal delivered. All of the ingredients and the recipes are included with the meal and everything is packed fresh and delivered to you. You just need to prepare the meal yourself. I do find this as an interesting alternative for some people who would like to make their own dinner but may not have the time to put in to get all the ingredients or find the recipes on their own. I was wondering if anyone out there may have given this a try before and what they thought of it? Feel free to leave your comments on what you think of the process and if you have tried it, how has it worked out for you.

My personal opinion on it is kind of split. While I do think it gives some people a chance to eat a home cooked meal instead of getting take out or dining out all the time, I think there are a few flaws in the services. From what I can tell, there does not seem to be much of an option if you are cooking for a child. This seems to me to be a service designed for a single person or a couple where both partners work but still want the home cooked meal. The meal choices seem somewhat limited and lacking. While it’s true that I am lucky enough to have the time to prepare meals on my own for my family, not everyone has this luxury so I can see the appeal. I also think it is a bit pricey for what you get. If you had the time, you could get the ingredients on your own and probably for a better price. Personally, that would be the way I would go, but I do enjoy the entire cooking process and some people may just want it streamlined for them so it can be easier.

I think it presents an interesting option for people who want a meal at home but feel pressed for time. What do you think? Check it out.

Tired of the cold winter, all the snow here in the Northeast and shoveling all day long? Then you might need to try one of these hot chocolate recipes from Bon Appetit. They give you some new ideas and twists that are perfect to help take off the chill and give you some great flavors. Check it out!